Echo
by thewatchfulprotector
Summary: After becoming what he hates the most, Batman finds himself out on the ledge, contemplating his life. One-Shot/Please Review! All Rights to their owners! I Don't Own Anything!


_Hello, hello_

_Anybody out there? Cause I don't hear a sound_

_Alone, alone_

_I don't really know where the world is but I miss it now_

"Batman! Batman step down from that ledge!" Gordon yelled trying to reach his long time friend, but he was too far gone. He'd been taken over by the monsters he'd tried so hard to suppress over his 15 year stint as the Batman.

There was no sanity left. Every ounce of purity that was ever in Batman's body had now ceased to exist. The shaking body of the once Prince of Darkness was reliving every aspect of the pain he had suffered.

Watching his parents murdered in cold blood, watching his lifelong butler, Alfred, die slowly in his arms, and now, digging through piles of rubble to find the already presumed dead body of his biological son, Tim Drake.

Batman remembered the night vividly, almost as if he couldn't shake it.

After finding the tortured soul of the son he'd come to love, Bruce could not subdue his anger. In his mind, the blood of Tim Drake lay on his hands. It was his fault, just like every other tragedy in Bruce's life had been of his wrong-doing.

_I'm out on the edge and I'm screaming my name_

_Like a fool at the top of my lungs_

_Sometimes when I close my eyes I pretend I'm alright_

_But it's never enough_

He ran into the warehouse where Tim's life had been taken, not holding back, hellbent on taking the life of the man that had caused him so much pain, the man who had been behind the gun of so many tragedies in his life.

He knew of the repercussions and he was ready for them, so long as he could avenge the life of his only son.

It was over in an instant. He clasped his hands around the neck of the deranged clown and took all the breath out of his lungs.

"Batman!" Came an ever so familiar voice from within the shadows, shaking Bruce from his memories.

_Cause my echo, echo_

_Is the only voice coming back_

_Shadow, shadow_

_Is the only friend that I have_

Clark Kent. The Man of Steel. Probably had every other place in the world to be, but instead chose to stand on a ledge with his emotionally corrupt allie.

"Bruce, Bruce what are you doing?" Clark whimpered trying to comprehend the situation.

Bruce was the last man he'd expected to be standing, contemplating his own death. He'd never let anyone in, no one had ever seen how damaged he truly was.

"Bruce please, come down. Come down so we can talk."

Bruce still hadn't spoken a word, not allowing Clark to invade his world any further.

"Bruce, if you don't say anything, how am I supposed to know you're okay?"

Batman glared over at the World's Greatest Hero.

_Listen, listen_

_I would take a whisper if that's all you had to give_

_But it isn't, is it?_

_You could come and save me and try to chase the crazy right out of my head_

Bruce turned back towards the city of Gotham, the city that he'd vowed vengeance against. The city that he'd saved from the merciful and the corrupt.

"They say it's the cowards way out." Bruce said staring down to the littered alley, this is when Clark realized that they were standing above Crime Alley, the resting place of Bruce's parents.

_I'm out on the edge and I'm screaming my name_

_Like a fool at the top of my lungs_

_Sometimes when I close my eyes I pretend I'm alright_

_But it's never enough_

"It's too much Clark. All the blood on my hands, all the blood. I'm drowning Clark, and you can't save me now."

Bruce inched closer to the edge.

"No Bruce, it doesn't have to end that way. You're stronger than that."

This was the most fear that Clark had felt in a long time. He never knew when Bruce would take that leap of faith, he'd always been mysterious that way.

"No Clark, I can't take it anymore." Bruce looked at him with he remorse filled eyes. "I-I killed him, Clark. I became what I hate the most, and I can't take that back, no matter how hard I try."

_Cause my echo, echo_

_Is the only voice coming back_

_Shadow, shadow_

_Is the only friend that I have_

Clark watched as Bruce torn himself apart on the ledge, no longer able to reach him. He was slipping away, and he feared no one could bring him back now.

"What would Tim say right now, Bruce?" Clark asked literally laying everything on the line.

Bruce was enraged.

"How dare you! How dare you bring up my dead son, my _dead_ son Clark! What gives you the right? Maybe it's because you're the Man of Steel, is that it? You're superior to everyone, right? You wouldn't dare try to justify my losses Clark, you have no idea what I am, I don't even know what I am."

_I don't wanna be an island_

_I just wanna feel alive and_

_Get to see your face again_

"Please come down, Bruce. It doesn't have to go down like this. We can recover, we can recover from this. Please don't leave me here alone."

Clark had abandoned all strength, giving the last ditch effort to save his friend.

"Look Bruce, it's just me. Not the Man of Steel, not the World's Greatest Hero, just Clark Kent. I'm nothing special Bruce, but I'd like to believe that we can get through this today. Look at me Bruce. I do not want to have to walk off this ledge without you."

The tears were streaming down both of their faces as Bruce did take into consideration what Tim would say. The truth is, he'd be disappointed in my actions, in my cowardliness.

_I'm out on the edge and I'm screaming my name_

_Like a fool at the top of my lungs_

_Sometimes when I close my eyes I pretend I'm alright_

_But it's never enough_

Bruce relinquished the power that he'd been holding. His shaking body moved quickly into Clark's awaiting arms.

"Shhh Bruce, just relax." He said stroking his cowl, sobbing into his shoulder. "I love you Bruce, I always will."

"I know. You always find a way to save me don't you"

They made their way off the ledge, walking straight into the blanket Gordon had been holding.

With tears streaming down Gordon's face, he embraced his masked friend.

"Thank you" He mouthed to Superman, as they turned and walked into the station.

_Cause my echo, echo_

_Oh my shadow, shadow_

_Hello, hello_

_Anybody out there?_


End file.
